Here is chapter 4. It seems I do my persona writing before mythology class…Lol. Random but the song Mozaik Role has been stuck in my head for the longest time now and it won't go away…
If you haven't voted on the poll, go vote! The last one ended in a tie so this will decide the AU fic I will write! And I'm really excited because my p3p cosplay is pretty much done! Watch out AnimeNext 2011! A Minako in summer outfit will be there!
Anyway, enjoy the completely original material chapter!
Akihiko didn't know what just happened.
He had been running to help Shinjiro when he felt a strong breeze and saw Minako fly past him on the back of Unicorn like a vicious warrior woman from a time long forgotten. She had jumped from the back of Unicorn and stood between Shinjiro and Takaya.
She had stood there proudly with her naginata. Her voice had been clear when she told Takaya to never mess with her teammates. He admired her courage and strength she held. Even with a gun pointed at her she refused to back down. She looked like she could overcome anything that got in her way.
Anything but a gun.
He watched in slow motion as Takaya pulled the trigger. As Minako's eyes widen in pure shock as she looked down at her chest where a dark red was beginning to gather.
Takaya was grinning like a manic and he laughed as she slowly fell to the ground. Or she would have if Shinjiro hadn't moved in time to catch her.
"Minako!" yelledAkihiko, finally getting his voice back He began running towards her. The limp figure in Shinjio's arms reminded Akihiko too much of the time in the hospital. Chidori's arms wrapped around Minako's throat going to strangle the life out of her. This time reminded him so much of then but different. This time she truly could be dead.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Takaya lifted his gun and pointed it to Shinjiro. The young man gritted his teeth and shifted his body so he was between Minako and the gun. "No more girls to protect you."
Akihiko knew he was too far away to do anything to stop Takaya from firing his gun again. Ken seemed to recover a bit and he picked up his spear from where he had dropped it.
"You'll pay for hurting Minako-san," he said angrily.
"Ken," warned Shinjiro.
"Fine then," Takaya pointed his gun at Shinjiro. "First I'll make sure the girl is dead and then come after you."
It was then that air seemed to get dark and heavy. Even for the Dark Hour it felt so sinister. It was like the feeling before a huge Shadow appeared.
"How dare you harm her…"
A voice echoed through the air. It was almost a whisper and Akihiko didn't know if he truly heard the words at first. Takaya didn't seem bothered by this and he continued to point his gun at Shinjiro, specifically at Minako.
"What's going on?" asked Ken uncertainly. He looked around nervously. No doubt he was feeling the oppressive presence as well.
"You will not harm her!"
The voice was now louder, more forceful. Akihiko's feet slowed to a stop. He was only a few steps away from Minako but something was preventing him from getting any closer.
A choking sound came from Minako's throat and her head was thrown back, her hands clutched tightly in fists. Her red eyes were open wide but they stared at something no one could see.
"Minako!" Shinjiro held her tightly but she continued to shake and that pitiful, painful choking sound kept coming out of her throat. Takaya looked confused and he lowered his gun for a moment.
Akihiko tried to move forward but his feet wouldn't move. It was like Shinjiro, Ken, Takaya and Minako were in some kind of bubble.
"Minako-san!" cried Ken. He glared over at Takaya and with tremendous bravery he stood in front of Shinjiro and Minako. "Shinjiro-san. Take Minako and go. I'll hold Takaya off."
"Ken. Don't be an idiot," snapped Shinjiro. His attention shifted back to Minako who was now practically screaming in pain. His eyes widen. "No way. Could it be, she is losing control of her persona?" He looked up and seemed to notice that Akihiko was standing there. "Aki. What are you doing?"
"I can't get in," called Akihiko. He tried to move forward again but like before, it was like a thick wall was separating them.
Minako was screaming now, her hands groping around for something. Her hand closed around her evoker and she lifted it to her own head. Shinjiro moved to stop her but it was too late. She had somehow pulled the trigger.
The sound of the gun echoed through the still air. Above Minako was not one of her usual persona summons. It was a different one. A new one. No. Akihiko remembered this one. It was the one that had come out of Orpheus. The one that had killed the first huge Shadow. The long skeleton-like head turned to Takaya and it roared angrily.
He fell to the ground clutching his head, about to summon his own persona but Minako's persona just knocked him away. Takaya flew in the air for a few moments before landing on the ground with a thud. Akihiko didn't have time to see if he was okay for the persona turned to Shinjiro. With the same ferocity as before it grabbed Shinjiro and yanked him away from Minako which it held gently in the crook of one arm.
"Akihiko-senpai!"
Akihiko turned to see the others running over. Mitsuru had probably remembered what today was as well and had brought everyone for backup. He was so glad to see them at this moment.
"What is that?" asked Fuuka.
"That's the persona Minako summoned on the first night," said Yukari in surprise.
"But what's it doing?" asked Junpei.
The persona turned to Shinjiro who was leaning against the wall to recover from the blow that was given to him.
"This is bad," Mitsuru took out her evoker. "Akihiko, what is going on?"
"I don't know. Minako was shot by Takaya and then something weird happened. It was like she was spazzing, like how Chidori was when she lost control of her persona only worse. She then somehow got her evoker to her head and pulled it and that was summoned."
"Hang on. Does that mean Minako is not conscious at the moment?" asked Fuuka. "Then how can she control the persona?"
"I believe the persona is moving on its own accord," spoke up Aigis.
"We can figure out the specifics later," Mitsuru ordered. "Fuuka. Give us information. Everyone. I know we're tired from the Shadow fight but this is important."
Fuuka summoned Lucia and began to gather information about the persona while the members of SEES went after the persona. The cloaked creature stopped its advance on Shinjiro when the others started running towards it. It turned to them and roared angrily. Koromaru barked a warning as a huge blast came from the persona. Megidola. Akihiko was barely able to keep his footing as he was just hit by the aftershock of the blast.
Around him the others were summoning their personas to try to stop the wild persona but the attacks didn't even hit for it just flew higher in the air.
"Fuuka," said Mitsuru. "Got anything?" Her eyes stared up at the persona above them. It was lit up by the huge full moon, making it more sinister looking that before. It was like death was looking down at them trying to figure out the best way to kill them.
"It's weird but it's like the huge Shadows we fought-no different. It's more powerful," said Fuuka. Her voice echoed around them since she was inside Lucia.
"That isn't good," said Junpei. "But why is it just staying up there?" He swung his sword in a test swing. "It better come down here so I can kick its ass."
"Shinjiro-senpai!" Yukari took the moment to run to the young man's side. She took one look at the wound and summoned Io.
"Don't waste your energy on me," said Shinjiro. He was leaning against the wall and he looked more tired than he had ever looked. Akihiko was even surprised that he was still conscious after all this.
Yukari ignored Shinjiro's comment. "I don't know if my healing will take care of your wound but it should work until the Dark Hour is over and we can get you to a hospital."
Linelineline
Minako hurt all over. Her chest hurt the most but the rest of her body felt like it was on fire. She cracked open her eyes and realized she was leaning on something cold. Looking up she saw a huge creature of some sort was holding her. No. It was the persona she had summoned the first time. What was going on?
A voice rang through her head. A familiar voice. Pharos. "Don't worry. I healed your wound using our power."
"What's going on?" she asked. She blinked. Why was her voice so hoarse? It sounded like she had been screaming for a long time. She stared up at the skeletal head of the persona. For some reason she felt safe in its arms. Like she knew it somehow. Thanatos. Yes-that was its name.
The persona shifted suddenly and Minako saw a flash of fire in the spot where they had been. And Hermes. Why was Junpei's persona here? When Thanatos had dodged the fire attack she got a look at the ground. There were her friends. They were looking up at her-no at Thanatos. Fuuka was inside Lucia. Wait. Was there a battle going on?
Minako felt her stomach drop as Thanatos flew higher in the sky and Minako saw a flash of Cerberus. They were fighting Thanatos?
"What is going on?" she asked the persona as it flew back and forth. Thanatos roared and lifted a hand. Minako's eyes widen as she saw a huge blast shake the ground where her friends were. Was that a megidola? "What are you doing?" she screamed.
"I will protect you from those that try to harm you…" The voice was like Pharos's but not. There was something off with it.
"They are my friends!" Minako cried in protest. But Thanatos didn't seem to want to listen to her. It lifted its hand, probably to use another megidola.
No.
She couldn't let it happen. She put her hand to her gun holster and her eyes widen when she didn't feel her evoker in it. She looked down to make sure. Yup. She didn't have her evoker. It must be on the ground. Now what?
She deiced that trying something was the best thing she could do. If only she could distract Thanatos for a few seconds. Wait. She got it. She bit her lip. It was a risky long shot but it looked like there wasn't much choice at the moment. She was just going to have to try.
Linelineline
"That thing just keeps dodging our attacks," said Junpei. His frustration was clear.
They had been lucky with the megidola for now. Akihiko had put up barriers to reduce the damage and Yukari had been healing like crazy. Even with those, they knew if they get hit directly by one of those attacks they were done. Whatever that thing was, it was too powerful.
"It's getting ready to use another one!" exclaimed Yukari.
However it never happened. Akihiko narrowed his eyes. It looked like something had pushed away from Thanatos and was now falling towards the group.
Fuuka gasped loudly. "The thing that's falling. It's Minako-chan!"
Akihiko felt his heart almost stop. What was she doing? And how could she be awake to push away from that persona?
"We have to catch her!" cried Yukari. "She'll die if she hits the ground!"
"I will catch her!" Aigis ran under Minako and lifted her mechanical arms up. Unlike any of the others in the group she was probably the only one who could catch her without suffering the effects of gravity too much.
"Use the opening!" screamed Minako as she fell towards them.
The persona roared and dove after Minako in order to catch her again before she hit the ground.
"You heard her!" ordered Mitsuru. She pulled her evoker's trigger and told Penthesila to hit the persona with an ice attack.
The others followed her in quick succession except for Aigis who was calculating Minako's falling path. The persona screeched in pain and was buffed back the attacks. However it didn't seem to affect it for long for it dove after Minako again but by then she had already fallen into Aigis's arms. With surprising agility for someone that had been shot she dove to the ground and grabbed her fallen evoker and pointed it to her head. She didn't pull it but she held it there.
"Enough Thanatos!" she screamed loudly.
The persona slowed to a stop before her and seemed to look at her for a few moments before fading away.
She sighed and dropped the hand holding her evoker. The members of SEES ran over to her. Akihiko made it there first. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Minako smiled. "Of course I am." Her eyes closed and she crumpled to the ground.